LEXINGTON, KY. (LEX NEWS) — Lexington's Casa de la Cultura is hosting its fourth annual Festival Viva Mexico on Sept. 15 — the same day Hispanic Heritage Month begins and Mexico celebrates its independence.
The festival, taking place at CommonSpirit Ballpark for the first time, aims to bring the community together through traditional dances, food and art.
Karen and Kelly Diaz, students at Leestown Middle School and members of the Ballet Folklorico with Casa de la Cultura, are among the performers preparing for the event.
"We've just been practicing really, really hard so that on September 15th we can represent our culture and show that we can all dance together," Karen Diaz said.
For Karen, the experience goes beyond performance.
"It's a really fun learning experience to learn about, um, other people's culture AND your own culture, even if you aren't Hispanic or Latino. It's a really great opportunity," Karen Diaz said.
This year also marks the first festival for Paulina Vazquez, an elementary and high school teacher joining the group for the first time as a Folklorico instructor.
Vazquez said the performance is rooted in storytelling and regional diversity.
"We're showcasing our culture and every year we showcase a different state so what's really important about Mexico of course is that there are tons and tons of influences all over the country, right? So every state you find some different types of music, different types of dance. So the cool thing about Folklorico is we're telling a story from our ancestors and from the people that came before us," Vazquez said.
She said the festival also gives children a meaningful connection to their heritage.
"It's just such a gift to be able to be, uh, to bear witness to that, to bear witness to kids experiencing their own culture maybe from a different lens, from an artistic lens," Vazquez said.
Vasquez added that parents often watch rehearsals with visible emotion as their children connect with traditions from home.
"We get to hear the sounds of our people. We get to do zapateado. We get to talk about the food, and all the different influences within each state," Vazquez said.
For the Diaz twins, the hope is simple.
"Everyone enjoys the show and everyone joins in and feels the same pride as we do," Karen Diaz said.
For more information about Casa de la Cultura, click here.
Ana Medina is committed to covering stories in your community that matter to you. If you have an idea, reach out to her at ana.medina@wlex.tv
